#Japan #Tokyo #ART & BUSINESS #Oisix La Daichi #大地の芸術祭

Oisix La Daichi's Remarkable Art Collaboration

Oisix La Daichi, renowned for its food subscription services, is proud to announce that its collaborative project with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale has been selected as a finalist in the 'Art Collaboration' category of the prestigious ART & BUSINESS AWARD 2025. The award, orchestrated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Forbes Japan, aims to promote new economic value creation through collaboration with artists.

Overview of the ART & BUSINESS AWARD 2025

The inaugural event, which is a consolidation of corporate efforts to merge art with business strategies, features over 150 entries across five categories including 'Corporate Strategy' and 'New Art Business'. The recognition of Oisix La Daichi in the 'Art Collaboration' category reflects the company’s commitment to enhancing business value through artistic partnerships.

The Project's Mission

Since 2017, Oisix La Daichi has joined forces with the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, which is celebrated as one of the largest international art festivals. This collaboration aims to tackle regional issues using the synergy between food and art. Despite the prestigious event’s acclaim, maintaining operational funds during the triennial’s off-years has posed a significant challenge. Compounded by a declining agricultural workforce due to an aging population in the Echigo-Tsumari area, the project directly addresses these pressing societal challenges. Oisix La Daichi’s motto—to address social issues related to food through business methods—aligns perfectly with the festival’s philosophy of rejuvenating regions through art. This harmony of purpose is what sparked the inception of their ongoing project.

In this endeavor, products featuring designs created by artists participating in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale are sold as 'collaborative products'. A notable aspect of this initiative is that 3% of the sales from these products are redirected as art usage fees to the NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative, which oversees the festival’s operations. Thus, consumers can contribute to regional support through everyday purchases. This model ensures stable funding for the collaborative repair, management, and operational needs of the artworks distributed across the region. As of the end of March 2025, the support provided to the initiative has reached a substantial amount of approximately 30 million yen. Through this innovative project, Oisix La Daichi has not only offered new purchasing experiences through art but has significantly boosted its brand value and customer engagement, achieving an impressive average sales increase of about 6.3 times for collaborative products compared to pre-collaboration figures. Moreover, the artistic murals created for their corporate office further exemplify their ethos, aiming to deepen understanding of the company’s philosophy both internally and externally.

Judges’ Feedback

A panel of esteemed judges provided positive feedback on the project. They include figures such as:

• - Goro Obayashi, Chairman and Director of Obayashi Corporation
• - Mami Kataoka, Director of the Mori Art Museum
• - Yukari Shiomi, Director of the NPO Arts Initiative Tokyo (AIT)
• - Yuki Terase, Founding Partner of Art Intelligence Global
• - Akihiko Nagata, CEO of UntroD Capital Japan
• - Katsuhiko Hibino, President of Tokyo University of the Arts
• - Hideaki Fukutake, Chairman of Benesse Holdings

The overall consensus highlighted that partnerships between businesses and artists yield new customer acquisition, distinct product differentiation, and enhanced relationships with key clients, thus creating various economic values.

About Oisix La Daichi

Oisix La Daichi operates some major brands in Japan, including 'Oisix', 'Radish Boya', and 'Daichi wo Mamoru Kai', focusing on delivering safe and reliable agricultural products as well as meal kits. The company also extends its services through subsidiaries like Shidax Contract Food Service for schools and businesses, the mobile supermarket 'Tokushimaru' for those facing shopping difficulties, and 'Purple Carrot' offering plant-based food kits in the United States. Through these efforts, Oisix La Daichi is committed to resolving social issues surrounding food while championing sustainable practices as part of its mission. Promoting initiatives like 'sustainable retail' and embracing subscription models, the company is dedicated to reducing food waste across the entire supply chain, from the farm to the table.